Pivoted tumbler lock construction

ABSTRACT

A pivoted tumbler-type lock construction in which the tumblers are mounted upon the rotating cylinder for movement about a very small arc about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the cylinder. The tumblers are pivoted upon one of three pintles, each angularly spaced 120* apart from the remaining two, and are actuated by one blade of a three-bladed key, the blades of which are also angularly spaced 120* apart and positioned medially of a pair of said pintles when inserted into the cylinder. Each of the tumblers includes two ends disposed on either side of the mounting pintle, which are alternately engageable within locking recesses in a relatively fixed housing, insertion of the key serving to contact one of the ends to move the tumbler within the cylinder, the other of the blades serving to accurately fix this position. The tumblers are mounted on individual plates comprising the cylinder, and are spaced 120* apart from each other, so that each tumbler is actuated by a pair of adjacent blades on the key.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Leonard Mercurio 34 Beaumont Drive;Anthony R. Morello, 26 Kaldn Lane, both of Plalnvlew, N.Y. 11803 [21]Appl. No. 1,606 [22] Filed Jan. 9, 1970 Patented June 22, 1971 [54]PIVOTED TUMBLER LOCK CONSTRUCTION 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[ us. (I 10/366. 70/377, 70/401 [51] Int. Cl. E05b 29/02 Field otSearch70/366, 365, 377, 401, 355, 354, 353

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,729,092 1/ 1956 Taylor70/364 3,479,849 1 H1969 Check 70/364 FOREIGN PATENTS 680,416 8/1939Germany... 70/401 911,220 5/1954 Germany ABSTRACT: A pivotedtumbler-type lock construction in which the tumblers are mounted uponthe rotating cylinder for movement about a very small are about an axisparallel to the axis of rotation of the cylinder. The tumblers arepivoted upon one of three pintles, each angularly spaced apart from theremaining two, and are actuated by one blade of a threebladed key, theblades of which are also angularly spaced 120 apart and positionedmedially of a pair of said pintles when inserted into the cylinder. Eachof the tumblers includes two ends disposed on either side of themounting pintle, which are alternately engageable within lockingrecesses in a relatively fixed housing, insertion of the key serving tocontact one of the ends to move the tumbler within the cylinder, theother of the blades serving to accurately fix this position. Thetumblers are mounted on individual plates comprising the cylinder, andare spaced 120 apart from each other, so that each tumbler is actuatedby a pair of adjacent blades on the key.

PIVOTED TUMBLER LOCK CONSTRUCTION This invention relates generally tothe field of pivoted tumbler-type locks, and more particularly to animproved type suitable for use in locking the coin vaults of coinoperated devices, and other applications where a large number of locksin differing locations are to be operated by a standard key.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide animproved lock construction in which the key may be readily inserted withunusual facility, owing to the possibility of very short tumblermovement between engaged and disengaged positions.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedpivotal tumbler-type lock which may be substantially pickproof by virtueof the presence of locking engagement between the tumblers and a fixedhousing in three separate planes.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedlock construction of the class described in which substantial torque maybe exerted through the key without damage to either key or cylinder.

A feature of the disclosed embodiment lies in the relatively few numbersof standardized parts comprising the same.

These objects and feature, as well as other incidental ends andadvantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the followingdisclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification,similar reference characters have been employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a front end elevational view of an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a rear end elevational view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof as seen from theplane 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front end elevational view of a cylinder element whichcomprises a part of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of one of the individual tumblercarryingplates comprising a part of the cylinder element.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view as seen from the right-hand portion ofFIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view in elevation corresponding to that seen in FIG. 6, butshowing the actuation of a pivoted tumbler by insertion of a keyelement.

FIG. 9 is a view in perspective of a key element.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated byreference character 10, comprises broadly: A lock housing element 11, acylinder element 12, and a key element 13.

The lock housing element 11 may be formed as a machined casting, and isbounded by a forward end surface 17, a first cylindrical surface 18, aplanar surface 19 defining an abutment, a second cylindrical surface 20,a portion 21 of which is threaded, and a rear end surface 21a. Thecentrally disposed main bore 22 communicates with a counterbore 23 toprovide a recess for a cylinder element 12. A threaded radially disposedbore 24 is engaged by a setscrew 25 which bears against a cylinderelement retaining plate 26, the plate 26 having a centrally disposedbore 27 to accommodate a motion output shaft 28 forming a part of thecylinder element 12.

The cylinder element 12 includes a front plate 30, a plurality oftumbler-carrying plates 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35, a medial support plate 36and a rear plate 37.

A front plate communicates with the counterbore 23, and is bounded by aforward surface 38 and a cylindrical surface 39. A central opening 40permits clearance for the key element 13, and a plurality ofperipherally disposed bores 41 each support axially parallel pintles 42which extend through corresponding bores in the members 30-37 inclusive.The medial plate 36 is of generally similar figuration, and is boundedby a cylindrical surface 43. The rear plate 37 is bounded by acylindrical surface 44 and a planar surface 45 which contacts theretaining plate 26.

The tumblercarrying plates 30-35, inclusive, are generally similar, and,accordingly, a detailed description of one of said plates will serve todescribe all. Each plate is bounded by first and second parallel planarsurfaces 48 and 49, respectively (see FIGS. 6 to 8, inclusive) as wellas a cylindrical surface 50. A Y-shaped through opening 51 extendsbetween the surfaces 49-50 as do bores 52 accommodating the pintles 42.As best seen in FIG. 7, a recessed surface 53 provides space for atumbler 54 capable of limited pivotal movement. Each tumbler includes acentral portion 55 having a bore 56, first and second inner arms 57, 58,respectively, and first and second outer arms 59, 60, respectively. Eachof the outer arms 59-60 terrninates in an end projection at 61-62. Acoil spring 63 disposed within a recess 63a contacts a point 64 to urgethe arm in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 6. A point 65 onthe arm 60 contacts a radial surface 66 to limit counterclockwisemovement to that shown in the same figure.

In the absence of the key element 13, the end projection 61 will extendoutwardly of the cylindrical surface 50 and engage one of the lockinggrooves 61a in the housing element (see FIG. 4), thus preventingrotation of the cylinder element within the housing element.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the key element 13 includes a manuallyengageable member 70, a main shaft 71, and a tumbler actuating member 72including tumbler actuating blades 73, which are of planar configurationand mutually spaced at a angle to correspond to the opening 51 in eachof the plates 31-37, inclusive. As seen in FIG. 8, upon insertion of thekey element an edge surface 74 of each of the blades contacts aninwardly disposed curved surface 75 of the tumblers to cam the tumblersinto an inoperative position, wherein the projection 61 lies within thesurface 50. As seen in FIG. 4, the tumblers are each mounted on one ofthe three pintles 42, so that each pintle will be operated two of thethree blades 73 on the key element.

It is contemplated that the construction is manufactured to closetolerances, consistent with relatively limited tumbler movement. Thus,to obtain a locking action, the projection 61 need extend outwardly ofthe surface 50 approximately 0.030 inch, mechanical strength beingobtained by the presence of a relatively large number of suchprojections, one for each of the tumblers. The insertion of a key inwhich the actuating blade is excessively high will pivot the tumbler toa point where the end projection 62 will engage another of the grooves67 in the housing element, a feature common to pivotally mountedtumblers known in the art. By employing a multibladed key in which theblades are mutually spaced an angular distance of less than it ispossible to have each of two blades simultaneously contacting thetumbler to accurately fix the tumbler in inactive position. The coilspring 63, serves the single function of returning the tumbler to theactive position shown in FIG. 6, and the problem of inaccuratepositioning of the tumbler owing to the presence of dirt within thecylinder is thereby eliminated. This feature also permits theelimination of a spring biased cover normally required in cylinder locksin outdoor use.

We wish it to be understood that we do not consider the inventionlimited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in thisspecification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art to which the invention per tains.

We claim:

1. Lock construction comprising: A housing element, a cylinder elementrotatably mounted in said housing element, and a key element; saidhousing element having a cylindrical surface defining a bore therein anda plurality of tumbler engaging slots extending radially of saidsurface; said cylinder element including a plurality of generallycircular tumblercarrying plates, and means interconnecting said platesfor axially aligned rotation, said plates having a tumbler thereonmounted medially for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axisof rotation of said cylinder element, said tumblers having first andsecond arms, said arms having first and second end projections on firstand second sides of said last mentioned axis and alternately projectableoutwardly of the periphery of the respective plate upon which it ismounted to engage one of said tumbler engaging slots, resilient meansurging each of said tumblers to one limit of a respective path of travelto project one of said ends to engage a slot; said key element having aplurality of blades each having a mutually parallel principal axis andhaving a plane spaced at a mutual angle less than 180 each blade havinga tumbler contacting surface adapted to simultaneously contact one ofsaid first and second arms, one of which cams said tumbler to a positionwherein both said first and second ends lie substantially within theperiphery of the respective plate to pennit said cylinder element to beturned within said housing element, and the other of which positivelyfixes said last-mentioned position.

2. Structure in accordance with claim ll, said key element includingthree blades, each spaced with respect to the others.

3. Structure in accordance with claim 2, said tumblers being mounted forpivotal movement about one of three parallel axes passing through eachof said plates.

1. Lock construction comprising: A housing element, a cylinder elementrotatably mounted in said housing element, and a key element; saidhousing element having a cylindrical surface defining a bore therein anda plurality of tumbler engaging slots extending radially of saidsurface; said cylinder element including a plurality of generallycircular tumbler-carrying plates, and means interconnecting said platesfor axially aligned rotation, said plates having a tumbler thereonmounted medially for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axisof rotation of said cylinder element, said tumblers having first andsecond arms, said arms having first and second end projections on firstand second sides of said last mentioned axis and alternately projectableoutwardly of the periphery of the respective plate upon which it ismounted to engage one of said tumbler engaging slots, resilient meansurging each of said tumblers to one limit of a respective path of travelto project one of said ends to engage a slot; said key element having aplurality of blades each having a mutually parallel principal axis andhaving a plane spaced at a mutual angle less than 180* , each bladehaving a tumbler contacting surface adapted to simultaneously contactone of said first and second arms, one of which cams said tumbler to aposition wherein both said first and second ends lie substantiallywithin the periphery of the respective plate to permit said cylinderelement to be turned within said housing element, and the other of whichpositively fixes said last-mentioned position.
 2. Structure inaccordance with claim 1, said key element including three blades, eachspaced 120* with respect to the others.
 3. Structure in accordance withclaim 2, said tumblers being mounted for pivotal movement about one ofthree parallel axes passing through each of said plates.